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6 | Commentary
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Our assisted living
is accredited for
two reasons. You.
And your family.
e Because having the confidence
® and peace of mind of accreditation
* is important.
* That’s why The Piedmont at Buckhead
is accredited by C ARF International, an independent
organization that sets exceedingly high standards for
care and service. It’s a lot like an accreditation for a
hospital or college. Or a five-star rating for a hotel.
So if you’re looking for assisted living services,
take a good look at The Piedmont. We think you’ll find
that our C ARF accreditation is only one of the many
reasons you’ll like what you see.
Please join us for a complimentary lunch & tour.
Call 404.381.1743 to schedule.
It’s a great way to get to know us.
PIEDMONT
-AT BUCKHEAD
Independent & Assisted Living
650 Phipps Boulevard NE • Atlanta, GA
ThePiedmontatBuckhead.com
404.381.1743
AN SRG SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
&
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H/or/~k, IChowum
Carol Niemi is a marketing consultant who lives on the Dunwoodg-Sandg Springs line and
writes about people whose lives inspire others. Contact her at worthknowingnow@gmail.com.
Exercise pro takes her fitness
students to the water
Do you ever wonder why some peo
ple seem naturally impervious to ag
ing?
To find out, I recently spent time
with Marlene Colon, a seemingly age
less local fitness instructor. If you’ve
taken an aerobics or dance-based fit
ness class at any of the top fitness
clubs in Dunwoody or Sandy Springs
during the past 30 years, you’ve prob
ably encountered her.
Certified in Zumba and LaBlast,
both dance-based high-impact forms
of exercise, Colon was trained by
“Dancing with the Stars” fan favor
ite and fitness expert Louis van Ams-
tel. She also studied adaptive physical
education at Georgia State Universi
ty and has worked as a choreographer
and performer in local dance produc
tions.
For years, Colon seemed to be ev
erywhere, teaching classes and lead
ing demonstrations at local festivals
with students of all ages, including one who at age 104 took her chair-based fitness
class at an assisted living facility.
But years of jumping up and down can take their toll. In 2002, Colon had surgery
to replace both hips. She could have legitimately quit the fitness gig right then.
But instead she took to the water and got certified in Aqua Zumba.
“If I didn’t do water, I wouldn’t be walking,” she said. “I won’t say I have no pain,
but I keep moving. They call me the Energizer Bunny.”
The next year, her leg muscles had become so strong she was able to cancel planned
knee replacement surgery.
Now she teaches at a variety of health clubs in the area, including the Marcus Jew
ish Community Center of Atlanta, the Concourse Athletic Club and a host of other
smaller clubs.
Still, as a lifelong swimmer and gym rat who regularly works out with weights, I
doubted Aqua Zumba could be much of a workout. So, Colon invited me to take her
class at the MJCCA to prove me wrong.
Her class of 19 ranged in age from 60-ish to 93. Her deaf student was absent that
day, but her student with dementia was there. Her energy and high-powered music
quickly got everyone moving according to the best of their ability. You can’t imagine
how many ways you can use water resistance to work your muscles.
Because she adds special touches to the Aqua Zumba routine, she calls her class
Aqua Fusion. In one of her modifications, which she calls Aqua Beat, students use
drumsticks to beat on and through the water to hyper tunes such as Queen’s “We Will
Rock You.”
“The men love it,” she said.
She discovered the drumsticks at one of the many fitness conferences she attends
and wanted to incorporate them into her class immediately. But fearing the price of
$50 a pair would be cost prohibitive for retirees who take the class for free through
Silver Sneakers, she decided to make them herself.
“I wasn’t going home without stopping at Home Depot to find something I could
Correction
The December “Worth Knowing” column incorrectly reported
the employment of “Georgia Gang” panelist Janelle King. She is
vice president of external affairs at Osprey Management and
is a contracted government relations officer for MARTA.
Marlene Colon.
